BREAKING: Bruins Fall Multiple Spots in Latest AP Rankings

The UCLA Bruins lost for the first this season in last week's road defeat to rival, No. 6 USC. The latest AP national rankings have punished the Bruins, who have lost the top rank while dropping down multiple spots.

Feb 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close reacts against the Michigan State Spartans in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The No. 3 UCLA Bruins (24-1, 12-1) have lost the top spot in this week's Associated Press Top 25, which was released Monday. The Bruins' first loss of the season to the No. 4 USC Trojans would prove costly as they have now fallen back to the No. 3 team in the country.

New number, same us. #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/DZ4w1GyAbJ

— UCLA Women's Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 17, 2025

The Bruins hung on to defeat the No. 22 Michigan State Spartans on Sunday night to preserve a Top five spot. They were without junior center and top scorer Lauren Betts but were able to escape Pauley Pavilion with a six-point win.

During a season where the Top four teams in the country have two or fewer losses, there is very little room for error. One loss has proven that it will drop any team multiple spots and could prove costly for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

UCLA had been the No. 1 team in the country for the past two-and-a-half months, securing the spot on Nov. 25, a day after they defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks for their signature win of the season. The Bruins have limited time to return to being the top team in the nation.

It feels as if UCLA was punished for losing to one of the best teams in the country and a likely candidate for the Final Four. The two teams that have moved ahead of the Bruins were No. 1 Notre Dame (22-2, 13-0) and the No. 2 Texas Longhorns (26-2, 12-1).

Notre Dame held an ugly loss to unranked Utah back in late November but has won 17 straight games to earn the top spot. There are mixed feelings about allowing a team that has multiple losses, including one unranked, to be held above the one-loss Bruins in the rankings.

UCLA has four games remaining in the regular season with two this week to help improve their national ranking before the final week of the season. They will face the No. 25 Illinois (21-5, 11-4) on Thursday night, seeking to stay atop the Big Ten standings alongside the Trojans.

If the Bruins are able to hold a top-4 seed in the country come conference tournament time, they will almost certainly receive one of the four No. 1 seeds in March. At the end of the day, rankings alone mean so much, and what is done in the future will determine the real champion this season.

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